Bottle feeding mechanism for washing machines



A. E. LADEWIG BOTTLE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Oct. 21, 1952 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Aug. 9, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

M&M

Oct. 21, 1 2 A. E. LADEWIG BOTTLE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Au 9, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

AIfOfi/VEQS.

Patented Oct. 21, 1952 BOTTLE FEEDING MECHANISMTFOR WASHING MACHINES Archie E. .Ladewig, Waukesha, Wisc, assignorato Archie Ladewig v(10., Wankesha v Wis -acorpo rationof Wisconsin.

- Application August 9, 1948, SeriaI NmASEZQZ 3 Claims.

The-present invention relates in; general toimprovementslin automatic article feeders and relates moreespecially to improvements in the. construction and operation of feedimechanisms for automatically "delivering bottles or similar receptacles .in: predetermined order, to a washing ma.- chine. or like apparatus.

Many different types of feed mechanisms in- :tencledforv the purpose of automatically delivering successive bottles to washers or .the like, have heretofore beenrproposed andused commercially with ,varying degrees-of success, Inlsome of these prior :ieeders, the dirty bottles are arrangediinv successive rows which are automatically transferred: to the successive. rows of re- ,ceiving.-:pockets.of a conveyor which is adapted to transport the receptacles through the .various cleansingqzonesiof. the washer, and the number of..bott1esinvolved .in' each row varies in accordanoe with thecapacity of the washing installation. These bottlefeeds may also be segregated into severallclasses as te -manner ,of final discharge, in one of which the rows of bottles'received fromthe supply-source are finally delivered by gravity into thereceivingpockets, while in the other class the/segregated successive rows of dirty bottles are pushed horizontally over a support and into these pockets.

, While relatively little difliculty isencountered in operation of some of these prior feeders when delivering bottles of identical: shapexand' size; considerable annoyance is had when dealing with .odd shaped bottles of diverse sizes, and under the lattersoperating conditions, most of the prior feeders become jammed and require extensive personal attentioninorder to keep them operating, thus involving delay and loss of valuable washing time. The prior feed mechanisms embodying gravity discharge are not only very noisy in operation when handling bottles of varying sizes, but theyalsointroduce excessive breakage rofnglass receptacles; and most of the previousfeed. assemblages are complicated in structure and rather unreliable in operation, besides l lacking. ability to automatically and effectively receive the dirty bottles en masse' and to remove successive bottles from the supply mass to .prearrange' them in t neat rows of properly spaced individualbottles preparatory to final injection of the rows-into the Washer pockets.

It is .therefore'a primary object of my present invention -toprovide an improvedmechanical :bottle feeder-which obviates all of the: objections and-operating;difl'iculties of'prior devices of this 'type andzwhichis thereforeexceedingly, reliable and-.saie :when1-1: subjected to: varying operating conditions.

Another important object of: the presentiinyen tion isto-provideanimproved:bottle-feed mechanismespecially applicable to washin -machines .havi-ng receptacle conveyors provided -with:-;suc-

cessive rows of bottle: receiving-and transporting pockets, and. wherein successive rows-of rpl -operly vbut withoutshoch or:excess noise, ,thus eliminating undesirabl-e'breakage ofdbottles'. a

Still another importantobject of my linveni- Ttionis .to provideanautomatic bottle feed for bottle cleansing machines,- which is .simple, compact'a and durable in construction, while being adapted 1304136 intermittently actuated directly from the washer "drive so ,as to most effectively deliver bottlesof .varioussizes and shapes to each of .the I successive .carrierapockets-rof the washer, thereby insuring, mos-t efilcienta .functioningnand maximum capacity of whee-receptacle cleansing installation. v

Anadditional, important object of .the invention isto provide a new anduseful'bottle feeder which may cbet.manufactured."installed .and operated at moderate cost forause inconjunction withv difterenttypes, of washing machines, and

which will continue .to-v automatically vperformits duty without abnormal, attention, delay, or danger. v

A: v more important specific object-v Ioi. this, invention :is to provide e an improved transferring and. guiding assemblage for bottle .feed mechanismscomprising a vbottletransfer. conveyorhaLv- .ing anrapproxi-matelyhorizontal- .bottle supportingdeck. and-a series of-lateral1y,spaced...bottle segregating partitions for guiding ..successive rows of bottles being transported by the, conveyor toward the delivery'endhof the feedid'eck, the partitions being mountedandcpositioned so as to dispose their lowenguidingportions over or abovethe deck and without intersectingtthe-bot- :tle':supporting, surfacepthereof; rthua permitting themuse, of ,either one;or-more endlessconyeyms having a: substantiallyacontinuousedeck1surface.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several. features which constitute my present improvements, and of the construction and operation of a typical bottle feed mechanism embodying these features, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a side View of one of the improved feed units associated with the inlet end of a typical bottle washer having rows of receiving and conveying pockets for transporting the successive bottles therethrough, this view showing a row of slightly tilted dirty bottles immediately after having been transferred from the delivery end of the feed deck to the transfer rotorof the feed mechanism;

Fig. 2 is 'a similar side view of the bottle feeder, but showing the previously slightly tilted row of bottles being positioned in horizontal position upon the final transfer plate of the feed unit;

Fig. 3 is another similar view of the same bottle feeder, but showing the same row of bottles immediately after having been transferred from the final transfer plate into the adjacent row of bottle conveying pockets of the washer;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section through the support for the bottle segregating partitions;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the improved bottle feed mechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but drawn to a slightly larger scale than in said figures; and

Fig. 6 is a front end view of the same feed mechanism, drawn to the scale of Fig. 5.

While the invention has been shown and described as having been embodied in a typical bottle feed mechanism especially adapted for cooperation with bottle washers such as shown in "my Patent No. 2,551,140, granted May 1, 1951, it

is not my intention in view of this specific disclosure to unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the improved features some of which are obviously more generally applicable to feeders for other types of receptacles; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed. herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawings, the general type of automatic bottle washer to which the improved bottle feed mechanism is especially applicable, comprises a main casing 8 having therein an endless conveyor 9 provided with successive parallel rows of bottle carrier pockets I!) for transporting successive rows of bottles I I through the several soaking and cleansing zones of the machine. The conveyor 9 may be driven either continuously or intermittently in any suitable and well known manner, and is preferably guided near the feed end of the machine by means of guide plates l2 so as to cause the bottle transporting pockets l to travel in approximately horizontal position along a substantially vertical path. All of the foregoing washer elements may be constructed and operated as shown and described in my prior patent above referred to, and constitute no part of the present invention.

The improved bottle feed mechanism forming the subject of this application, consists primarily of an auxiliary feed casing l4 firmly secured to the front end of the main casing 8; conveying means such as one or more endless bands or chains having an upper deck l6 for transport- 4 ing the dirty bottles l l en masse toward the relatively advancing run of the conveyor 9; a series of upright bottle segregating partitions I? supported within the casing l4 entirely above the bottle delivery end of the deck 16 by means of a reciprocable suspension plate 56; a rotor having a series of bottle tilting and transfer disks 19 mounted upon a drive shaft and each provided with a bottle transfer abutment 2! while being revolvable in vertical planes mid-way between adjacent partitions l'i; an approximately horizontal stationary bottle guiding and transfer plate 22 for receiving the bottles H from the transfer rotor in horizontal position; and an oscillatory transfer bar 24 for periodically sliding the successive rows of horizontal bottles H off of the plate 22 and into the adjacent carrier pockets It.

The major portion of the bottle feeding unit is housed within the auxiliary casing is but the front portion of the bottle conveying deck IE5 of the feed chains [5 is upwardly open so as to permit the dirty bottles i l to be deposited en masse and in upright position upon the desk 56 in advance of the partitions i T; and while the convey ing means specifically illustrated consists of several simultaneously operable endless bands or chains i5, these may in some cases be combined into a single endless structure. The endless conveying means or chains i5 may be supported upon front and rear pulleys or sprockets .25, 2S respectively, either of which may be driven in any convenient mannner so as to advance the upper botle supporting deck It toward the main casing 8; and as shown, the rear sprockets 26 are adapted to be intermittently revolved by a ratchet pawl 2'! pivotally mounted upon an arm 28 which is oscillatable upon the sprocket drive shaft 29 by a link 3! and is cooperable with the peripheral notches of a ratchet wheel 3i secured to the shaft 29. The link 36 is pivotally attached to the outer end of another arm 32 secured to the rotor driving shaft 26, and this latter shaft 25 is constantly rotated from the driving mechanism of the main conveyor 9 by means of a belt or chain 33, as shown in the drawings. When conveyor chains are utilized, it is preferable to cause the lower run of the chains to pass through a pan 34 con taining soap water as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in order to maintain the chains and sprockets well lubricated at all times.

The bottle segregating and arranging partitions if are preferably spaced equi-distant apart and are disposed vertically with their lower guiding portions in close proximity to the deck I5 but without intersecting the bottle supporting surface of the deck. As previously indicated, all of these partitions H are suspended from the plate is entirely within the feed casing i4; and

I in order to enable the partitions ill to most effectively separate and arrange the oncoming dirty bottles into uniform rows, it is preferable to move them back and forth transversely of the direction of advancementof the upright bottles H. The partition suspension plate i8 is therefore mounted in elongated guides 36 secured within the casing i4, and is reciprocable by means of a bell-crank 3! pivotally secured to the casing wall and having one arm connected to the plate 48 by a rod (-38 while its other arm is connected to an auxiliary arm 39 attached to the hub of the pawl carrying arm 28 which is oscillatable upon the shaft 29, by another rod 49, see Fig. 6. With this assemblage, whenever the feed mechanism is operating and the aeiec'za mitted; bottles; and .Without.; ca1lsing.-; :jamming of athe.-.enteringuprightabottles I I.

The: bottle transfer TQtOisfOT ctilting the: suc.- cessive rowsv of: bottles. I Ifideliverecl: from. the deck: [6,: is also?:housedzwithinthe casingrl 4,. and

the bottlexitipping; and ;trans'fer;.-disks 11.9.? of this rotor are rigidly: attached to .thesha'ft" 20 which is =journalled:..in, bearings .,carried.-:;;by:;the side walls "of the :casing I 4, All: of .the;rotor =di-sks I9-are of identical formationgbeing cam shaped,

as :shownfin' Figs. 1, 2 and.-3,riand.thearotor is constantlyrevolvable Joy the belt orachain 1:33 soasto cause the diskabutments 2| toaperiodicale lyrevolve. upwardly between the ..adjacent conveyor chains :.I iand rearwardly. between the rear: ends of the adjacent: partitions-I'll I. The speedbof 'rotation of. the .disks I9-is properly timed, so that the. :disk': abutments 2I-1Wil1 pick .up" the successiverows: of. bottles I-I delivered from the discharge iendaof :the intermittently advancing con-veyor ochains. ..I-5' :whenever the latter-are at rest, and :the cam shapeddisks I 9 thereafter tilt thebottle's from. upright to :-hori.- zontal position 'while advancing them towardithe washer: pockets I 01 and.-onto the: guideplate 22. The horizontal guidingtand transfen' plate 22 is -likewise =housed -andsecured withinthe casing 3 I 4", and is-provided' with a series of upper parallelridges- :4 I for maintaining: the 1 bottles in properly. spaced rows for-entry into the carrier ,byaitherotor:disks: I9 as vinl ig. .Zythe transfer .bar 24 Lis;.retracted:;and disposed-remote, afrom :this plate. in ordertoravoid interference -with;the..iad vancing:.hottles1;;but;:aiter each row of bottles has been positioned upon plate 22, the pusher bar 24 is promptly swung downwardly and rearwardly so asto slide or push. the successive bottle rows gently across the fixed plate 22 and into the successivereceiving pockets, .10, as illustrated inFig; 3."

When the improved bottle feeding mechanism has beenwproperly constructed-land appliedto a washer as hereinabove described, andthe wash- .i-ng machine. is. .being .operatedv-to advance the mainic'onveyorfi .andbottle transporting :pockets Ill along the guides I2, the washer may be constantly loaded by merely placing the dirty bottl'es- Isl' enmasse and in upright positionj upon the deck I6'through' the opening in the casing I4 above .this deck, as depicted in Fig. 5. As the washer conveyor'9 continues to advance the pockets I0, the drive chain 33 constantly rotates the rotor shaft 20 and the disks I9 carried thereby, in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and also intermittently advances the chains I5 so as to move the deck I6 rearwardly, while at the same time continuously 6 ec procatingsthe:partitioned IJQQIQSS, the; deck 16.; -.'I1he*:c.onne.cti0n.:; .46;- aiso fun tions cillate. thepusher bar 24,:andall; ofrthesez. ovements are timed. to.'properlyycooperate with the advancement of :the ;main;,c.onveyor. 9.1 irilfhe-ipan 34: should preferably be supplied withwsoapyliquid into which. the lower runs: of the zchainslfi dip, thereby maintaining the .chains Ig5- andsprockets 25,- 26 well lubricatedwheneverthermachine is operating.

The mass ofupright dirty bottles} :I 1 ;dep os,i-ted upon .the conveyor deck. I6 is .carried-rearwardly toward the: front edges ottheupright segregatin partitions. I1, and .aszthese partitions move: back andnforth across the deck 1.5;;they-separate: the bottlesinto uniform successive rows; .of upri ht bottles which are subsequentlyad-vancedvbmtht moving deck lfiitoward the transfer; r0tor.;" Up,on leaving the rear end of the deck :I each-.mwlof bottles is deposited upon thetalined disk-abut.- ments 2 I- which -move...upwardly=- between the.;ad jacent chains c I5, and the bottles are. slightly tilted. as shownin Fig. 1; and asthe transferidisks I-9= continue to revolvebetween theadiacentxpamtitions-I 'I,:they furthertilt thebcttles and eventually. deliver them in horizontal position upontthe fixed supporting grid or plate;il2',q.as.;i-n.Fig.2. After the rotor abutments' have ,passedgdownwardly through the slots; in;.:the plate.22;;- the bottles. will momentarily rest, in the-tr0ughs formed by the .plate ridges .4 I whereuponithe pusher bar'24.-wi1l be lowered and moved: rear.-

' wardly-toslide the successive rows-of horizontal bottles I I acrossthesupporting plate" 2,2;and; into the successivev rows of carrier: pockets: .l 0,1. as

depicted iniFig. 3.' This sequenceof operations is rapidly repeated, and the successiveprowsyof dirtybottles II are thus: positivelywithdrawn from the supply mass resting;uponrtherdeckflfi, and are transferred to the: successive:;:r0 ws.j of

carrier pockets I I], efiectively and withoutshock or loss of timedue to jamming.

IThe laterally moving: bottle guiding: partitions I1 which aresuspended from the: constantly. re,-

ciprocating plate '5 8, function to effectivelysegregate the bottle mass into uniform rows,;regardless of the shape or size of the bottles II, zandiwithout permitting; the-advancing. bottles tozjam .and C10g theaspaces between theseipartitionsv-By suspending the-partitions I11: so: that. theirzlowflr guiding portions are-located. above and: in ZCJOSQY'DIQXrimity tor. the tranSIerrdeckT. I 6"; zwhile avoidin n- .tersectiontofythis deck byL-:.the:p rt ti ns the I zdecksurface betweenzthezpartiticnsmay be nain- .ta-ined smoothtanddevoid of grooves, and one or 'more. .azconveyors: m y: b util ed; to formrth :deck. surface.-

s. sh wn,.-several slightly spaced chains I5;- are; utilized jin order topermit; the transfe :a utmcntsl I of:. t i rotor disks, I9: t pass, -upwardlm-b-etWeen the 1 adjacent conveyor isections; but since, the; spaces are ialinedzwith: the :rotor :iiisks; i9zmidsvv yb tween the-adjacent artition 1:111." tiller. 0 rnotobi cticnably t rfere Iwithithe bottle;sapportzandthegansmariner-fill d I in with ;.fixed: :strips 1 so as. toaapreserveg-thezconti- =nuity=:of the-upper deck surface.

' The constantly;revolving ltransferirotor with its disks I9 and abutments 2I passing between the conveyor chain sections I5, causes thesuc-j cessive bottle rows to be gently removed from the delivery end of the deck I6; and the cam formation of the revolving disks I9 subsequently causes the bottles to be gradually tipped or tilted from upright to horizontal position and deposited in the latter position upon the stationary grid plate 22. The periodically oscillatable pusher bar 24 is thereafter operable to likewise gently slide the successive bottle rows over the plate 22 and into the advancing carrier pockets l without shock or excessivenoise, thus avoiding bottle breakage and producing quiet functioning of the bottle feed mechanism. The ridges H of the plate 22 insure proper guiding of the horizontal bottles I i while being transferred from the rotor to the pockets l9, and the slots in the plate 22 enable the abutments 2| to pass without interference.

From the foregoing detailed description of the construction and operation of my invention, it will be apparent that I have provided an improved bottle feeding unit which besides being simple, compact and durable in construction, is also automatic and highly efficient in operation. The improved feed mechanism will function effectively with bottles ll of various sizes and shapes admitted en masse to the deck l6, and the guiding partitions i1 automatically segregate the admitted bottles into successive rows of properly spaced bottles; and the assemblages may therefore be applied to diiferent types of receptacle washing and treating machines. The suspension :of these partitions above the transfer deck l1, and the reciprocation thereof laterally of the direction of bottle advancement, are important features of my invention and add to the universal adaptability of the mechanism; and the constantly revolving transfer rotor cooperating with the intermittently advancing feed deck 16 enables rapid operation and eifective cooperation with constantly advancing bottle receiving pockets ID. The invention has gone into highly satisfactory and successful commercial use; and the feed mechanism may be manufactured, installed and operated at very moderate cost and with minimum attention.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction and operation of the specific bottle feed mechanism, herein shown and described,

since various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a bottle feeder for a washer having transverse rows of bottle conveying pockets for receivin the bottles in approximately horizontal condition, a horizontal conveyor deck movable to advance bottles resting in upright position thereon toward the successive rows of pockets of the washer, a stationary approximately horizontal bottle transfer plate located above and spaced from the delivery end of said deck but terminating closely adjacent to the pocket rows, a bottle transfer rotor disposed within the space between said deck and said plate and being operable to tilt and transfer the bottles from the delivery end of the deck to the plate remote from the pocket rows, a series of parallel upright bottle guiding partitions spanning said space and said rotor and extending forwardly over said deck and having rear tapered ends converging and extending toward said plate, and a pusher movable downwardly along said tapered partition ends to engage the tilted bottles deposited upon said plate by said rotor and to inject them into the adjacent pocket rows.

2. In a bottle feeder for a washer having transverse rows of bottle conveying pockets for receiving the bottles in approximately horizontal condition, a horizontal conveyor deck movable to advance bottles resting in upright position thereon toward the successive rows of pockets of the washer, a stationary approximately horizontal bottle transfer plate located above and spaced from the delivery end of said deck but terminating closely adjacent to the pocket rows, a bottle transfer rotor disposed within the space between said deck and said plate and being operable to tilt and transfer the bottles from the delivery end of the deck to the plate remote from the pocket rows, a series of parallel upright bottle guiding partitions spanning said space and said rotor and extending forwardly over said deck and having rear tapered ends converging and extending toward said plate, means for reciprocating said partitions transversely of said conveyor deck, and a pusher movable downwardly along said. tapered partition ends to engage the tilted bottles deposited upon said plate by said rotor and to inject them into the adjacent pocket rows.

3. In a bottle feeder for a washer having transverse rows of bottle conveying pockets for receiving the bottles in approximately horizontal condition, a horizontal conveyor deck movable to advance bottles resting in upright position thereon toward the successive rows of pockets of the washer, a stationary approximately horizontal bottle transfer plate located above and spaced from the delivery end of said deck but terminating closely adjacent to the pocket rows, a bottle transfer rotor disposed within the space between said deck and said plate and being operable to tilt and transfer the bottles fromthe delivery end of the deck to the plate remote from the pocket rows, a series of parallel upright bottle guiding partitions spanning said space and said rotor and extending forwardly over said deck and having rear tapered ends converging and extending toward said plate, means for moving said partitions back and forth over said conveyor deck, and a pusher movable downwardly along said tapered partition ends to engage the tilted bottles deposited upon said plate by said rotor and toinject them into the adjacent pocket rows.

ARCHIE E. LADEWIG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

